Monday, December 18, 2006

My man Frank

I just finished going over the copy-edited manuscript of SHORT CHANGE, my third novel due out July 3, 2007. I have a new copy editor this time around. His name is Frank and he’s amazing. For those of you who aren’t familiar with how the publishing world works, your editor is the first to read your manuscript. She gives you her broad, sweeping visions of how the book can be improved. When you've made all of the necessary changes, she tells you, “Now it’s perfect!!!!!!!!!!” That makes you really happy.

But not for long. Then she sends your manuscript to the copy editor. He’s the guy who fills those perfect pages with red pencil marks highlighting how abysmally you’ve failed Commas 101. (Mims, should there be a comma after “marks”?) When I’m confronted with that sea of red, I get flashbacks to primary school essays I wrote on how I spent my summer vacation. Honestly, did the teacher want to know that I collected seashells at the beach or did she want Hemingway?

Michael was the copy editor for my first two books. He took exception to the way I used commas. There were simply too many of them and they were all in the wrong places. I learned a lot from him and eventually found myself pausing before every one of those innocuous little swooshes to ask myself: What would Michael do? Michael taught me well because on this third manuscript I saw whole pages without any red marks at all. (Michael, I was itching to use a comma in this paragraph but I resisted for your sake).

I have a new man now—Frank. He knows amazing things. Often we writers don’t think about that one little plural noun we use in a throwaway sentence. Then here comes somebody like Frank, gently reminding us that a Quarter Pounder has only one meat patty, not two.

Frank knows instinctively when to use blond or blonde, that Rhinestone is not capitalized despite what your computer spell-checker tells you. He notices that you’ve echoed the same phrase on the page. He knows the official names of songs, that “loony tune” isn’t “looney-tune” even though you looked that one up and were sure it was correct. He even tells you when you’ve spelled the name of a minor character in different ways throughout the manuscript. Honestly, Frank, picky, pickie, pickee.

Of course, Frank doesn’t force his views on me. Sometimes he writes, “Ok?” next to the change. Usually, I write “ok” back at him. I only used “stet” a couple of times because despite what Webster says, Eugene would say “up the ying-yang” not “yin-yang.” But fair is fair. I let Frank change racquet to racket. Both are acceptable spellings but racket is listed as first choice. I didn’t know that. Sometimes scrutiny is a good thing.

One of the best things about Frank is he draws happy faces next to sentences he likes. Well…most of them are clearly happy. One of them looks somewhat shocked, hopefully it’s because Frank was surprised about a plot twist not because I used a comma instead of a colon, although, now that I think about it maybe a colon would have been better. Whatever. Those happy faces (or is it Happy Faces?) make me feel really really good.

There are a lot of unsung heroes in the publishing business. Copy editors are right up there at the top. I’ve worked with two great guys now and for that I’m grateful. I have only one question. Did anybody but me think barbecue was spelled barbeque?

Happy Monday!

p.s. Thanks to Groupie for the great pictures:o) And to Jeff, so sorry about your car :o(

Patty in keeping with last weeks theme, and incorporating it into this week, and trying to have a "comma-ing" effect, but not being a "comma cuasey," [yes the puns are intended]. Check out this article on COMMAS GONE WILD-----No, it's not about stripping commas, on spring break, in Panama City Beach !http://webtools.uiuc.edu/blog/view?blogId=25&topicId=422&count=&ACTION=TOPIC_DIALOGS&skinId=286http://tinyurl.com/yl94ykAnd now for a pregnant pause I offer you ............the comma ",", period.Jonwhat up with the cats?

Love the photos and your tribute to the Franks of this world. I've had the added joy of being educated in Britain where there are slightly different rules regarding punctuation, so I have to weave back and forth between Franks here and "over there." (And over there it would have been "over there". Apparently, America adopted the habit of placing the period inside the "speech marks" because on old American letterpress machines the period would fall off unless it was followed by another letter or mark. That might be a shaggy dog story.

When I first started using msword, the grammar and spellcheck kept arguing with me until I found the button that switches the type of language to 'English - Australian' for Aussie manuscripts. I switch back to 'English - American' and humbly comply when I'm writing for US publication. I still argue with it, just not as much. :-D

My grammar instruction in the 1970s primary school (think grade school) was one of those experimental things where the kids have to almost teach themselves. I was handed a box of grammar lessons on cards with exercises on them - I had to complete the exercises, show the teacher my results, teacher'd ask a few questions, and he presto: instant lesson. My grammar has been patchy ever since - but since I was reading upwards of ten books a week when I was a kid, I picked up a fair bit by osmosis as I went along. Sigh. :-D

Patty, you really ought to check out the "link" I posted. It speaks about a $2million comma......others may find the expose interesting too.

Looking at the white cat again, looks like he went to the bar with Mel, and had those 6 or 7 dark and stormys, or I guess in keeping with the season, and to add yet another comma, egg nog. I can relate to that cat's picture, more than you can imagine.

As a carry over, too, from last week's post, about Mel's movie, and coupling it with "our J's" last post, go see Blood Diamond.Jon

A two million dollar comma?! Just goes to show—never underestimate anything or anyone. I also read Eats Shoots & Leaves by Lynne Truss, which is a droll little book on punctuation. I intend to see Blood Diamonds and think Leonardo has been making some very interesting career choices lately. Good ones, methinks.

I'm usually good on blonde v. blond. Serial commas I've had to go back and forth on too many house stylebooks at different small newspapers to keep straight. The word that always trips me up is "fuchsia." I mean, shouldn't that be FUSCH-ia? But apparently it was named for a Dr. Fuchs, poor man. Another word I got called out on recently was the one I tried to spell "unphased." I had no idea there was a "faze."

Marianne, I can hear the Wicked Witch in the Wizard of Oz,as she looks out over poppy fields: "sleeeepp, slleeeep....."So, after that bake-a-thon, I hope you'll rest well......and then send out some of those goodies to the rest of us!Jon

Patty {that wouldn't be Peppermint Patty, would it?], can you answer the blond/blonde question i asked earlier......before you start baking blondies....??I'm driven by blonde ambition.JonPS: I think Dr Fuchs married Madge Entah-----but I could be wrong....need to refer to Mr Crayola.

Although Monday is Christmas day I'll post something, even if it's just a picture of Marianne's fruitcake. Sorry about your insurance agent. Doesn't he know this is the season to be jolly? Merry, happy to you. Hope you're feeling better.

It seems I've come to the right place, although quite inadvertently. I have to confess, I'm a comma junkie, too. I've often wondered about comma placement and colon usage. I get so confused. Then lo and behold, I come across your prodigious blog and voila! Thank you for your comma confession, too, Patty. I was told there is to be a comma on either side of the word,too.

I know curiosity killed the cat and it's been killing me lately, too but is the white cat, sprawled out flat on its back, commatose?

I've also been curious about blond vs. blonde. My spell check always informs me that it's blond, without an 'e' yet they both look correct to me.